ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. court — for sport
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. toast — bread
  9. pass — a permit
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — of law
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pound — for dogs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com